DAMAK, Nov 3: An electric wire fence, which was set up without permission from the local administration to prevent elephants from entering human settlements, claimed the lives of two individuals in Buddha Shanti Rural Munipality-4 of Jhapa on Saturday.
One 18-year-old Abhinash Rai, a resident of Buddha Shanti Rural Municipality-4, and one 35-year-old Mani Ram Rai, a resident of Bhojpur had set up the electric wire fence near Nawajyoti Community Forest at Buddha Shanti Rural Municipality to prevent elephant attacks while fishing. Both of them were electrocuted when the electric wire came in contact of water.
According to Mahendra Kumar Shrestha, Deputy Superintendent of Police, the deceased had set up an electric wire fence to prevent possible wild elephant attacks near the forest area.
Electric wire fencing set up to stop elephant terror
Setting up an electric fence without permission from the local administration is against the law.
On August 16, 2019, Ganga Thapaliya, a resident of Mechinagar Municipality-9, too was electrocuted when she came in contact with a wire set up around her own house to prevent wild elephant attack.
Likewise, on July 29, 2019, three wild elephants died after receiving an electric shock from the electric wire set up at Rankali Community Forest. However, the local administration had not granted permission to the Rankali Community Forest to set up electric wire fence.
Likewise, on October 26, 2018, 25-year-old Anu Limbu, a resident of Arjundhara Municipality-4 of Jhapa, also died of electrocution. She died when she came in contact of an electric wire fence set up by her husband. Sushmita Limbu was also injured while trying to rescue her.
Scared of wild elephants, locals have been setting up electric wire fences to prevent possible attacks, without permission from the local administration. The electric wire fences set up in the region have already claimed the lives of dozens of humans and elephants in the region.
According to a statistics compiled by the Division Forest Office, Jhapa, a total of 41 humans and 11 wild animals have died of electrocution in the region since 2011.
